So many vacations, so little time/money. WWYD?

[Princesca]

We took our first cruise this April on the Fantasy to Western Caribbean with my in laws and loved it so much we did the placeholder and booked for April 2024 using it. We were under the impression our in laws would not want to do another cruise til 2025, but it seems we were mistaken and they want to vacation with us again, which is sweet and I don't mind at all!

The problem is they won't take their first grader out of school, so if we go with them, we are limited to one week in March, summer, Thanksgiving break, or Christmas break. Most of those options raise our price from our April 2024 cruise significantly if we were to switch that. (Do you lose your placeholder benefit?) And the March week is Western Caribbean and that's the itinerary we just sailed and we didn't love the ports and aren't in a hurry to repeat.

We could possibly swing two cruises in 2024, but probably not two DCL ones. To me, because their schedule requires higher holiday pricing, it makes sense for us to choose a cheaper cruise line to sail together as a holiday premium atop DCL is much worse than atop, say, Princess.

And I really don't want to wait until fall/winter to cruise again. Though I guess WE could reschedule DCL for later 2024 and instead sail just our family on another line in April.

What would you do?

 

[auntlynne]

You can “modify” your reservation to another date, itinerary, or ship - as long as it’s not in the black-out weeks. Just don’t CANCEL.

 

[auntlynne]

I would talk to the vacation planner in-law, or whomever is easiest to deal with. Ask what they suggest and would like to do.

As a newbie cruiser, it is fun to try different itineraries. I would want to hold onto the reservation for the Eastern, too.

Any cruise lines that really appeal to you? So many choices.

Straining your own budget to please someone else’s life plans can put tension in a relationship. Make sure communication channels are open.

 

[MomOTwins]

Why not try a different disney ship rather than sail the same itinerary on the fantasy twice?

 

[SeanSD]

I agree with AuntLynne, I would hang on to Eastern Caribbean, the ports are a totally different vibe than Western ports. We love the Fantasy and liked both itineraries but probably prefer Eastern and you get an extra sea day. As you saw the school vacation weeks are higher so you could check out RC or other cruise line that may be a cheaper deal.

 

[tlprice]

I am a teacher and I would say take the 1st grader out of school for a week. I took my daughter (and myself) out for at least a week every year until she got to high school. As a teacher and single parent, I can't often afford to travel during school breaks. Even though my daughter will be in 11th grade this year, I will be taking her out for 4 days for our Northern Europe and Norwegian Fjords Cruise (we only have to miss 4 days because it is over labor day week). Travel (at least for us) is very educational and not something that can be done in the classroom. I think all of her travels and experiences have made her a better student and person in general. She got all A's and only one B as a sophomore last year in all Honors IB classes so I don't think her missing school sometimes for travel has hurt her in any way.

 

[auntlynne]

Why not try a different disney ship rather than sail the same itinerary on the fantasy twice?

Great idea. Only problem is getting a 7-night, affordable cruise on Disney - that’s not the older two ships. (I am making 2 assumptions here!)

 

[Geomom]

I would definitely talk to the in laws, they may prefer a Disney cruise with a first grader vs another line. Also find out the exact dates they could do, if they're available later in August the rates start to go down. I'd avoid that March week though. Definitely look at a different itinerary. We cruise for both the itinerary and Disney.

 

[sponica]

Keep the itinerary you have for now and see what else is available on other lines for that March week. I've never done either itinerary, but I'd much rather do eastern over western.

 

[lanejudy]

Personally, I would say "we already have 2024 plans set and budgeted, changing those plans won't work out well for us at this point. Let's plan to cruise together in 2025." Then they can make the decision to join you in 2024 by pulling their child out of school or waiting until 2025. In the meantime, be sure to plan some other family time together -- whether that's vacation or holidays or maybe you live close enough to see each other often anyway.

 

[MomOTwins]

Great idea. Only problem is getting a 7-night, affordable cruise on Disney - that’s not the older two ships. (I am making 2 assumptions here!)

I know some people will only sail 7 night or longer itineraries because they think shorter is too short, but what we often do is a 4 or 5 night cruise and add on days before and after on land to make a weeklong vacation. A hotel with a beach and/or a really nice pool can be a really nice add on to a cruise, especially as the ship’s pools are so small.

 

[nancipants]

I think it would depend on how much YOU want to sail with them. Personally, I would be a little annoyed with them not wanting to take a first grader out of school, especially when plans have already been made. Perhaps when they see the price difference they'll be more amendable to missing school?

 

[Princesca]

Why not try a different disney ship rather than sail the same itinerary on the fantasy twice?

I actually think what we're going to do is keep our cruise in April and sail on RC with them. Since we have to travel during high times because of their kids' school, I'd rather stack that premium on top of a cheaper cruise line than on top of already-expensive DCL.

 

[Princesca]

I am a teacher and I would say take the 1st grader out of school for a week. I took my daughter (and myself) out for at least a week every year until she got to high school. As a teacher and single parent, I can't often afford to travel during school breaks. Even though my daughter will be in 11th grade this year, I will be taking her out for 4 days for our Northern Europe and Norwegian Fjords Cruise (we only have to miss 4 days because it is over labor day week). Travel (at least for us) is very educational and not something that can be done in the classroom. I think all of her travels and experiences have made her a better student and person in general. She got all A's and only one B as a sophomore last year in all Honors IB classes so I don't think her missing school sometimes for travel has hurt her in any way.

I agree with this wholeheartedly but the issue is their kids, not ours. They just won't consider it at this point because the oldest will be in first grade. They did it this past year with no issue, I think they didn't care because she was just in kindy. They've enrolled their kids in an expensive private school so I think they might be fairly hardcore about academics. My attitude toward school is very different, I'm more of a 'life is the best teacher' person.

 

[Princesca]

I think it would depend on how much YOU want to sail with them. Personally, I would be a little annoyed with them not wanting to take a first grader out of school, especially when plans have already been made. Perhaps when they see the price difference they'll be more amendable to missing school?

Alas, no... I explained the price difference and it didn't matter. They have more resources in that regard than we do... not that they don't care, but they have more wiggle room (two manager/director-level incomes compared to our one, etc). But I think we have settled on a compromise that will work and still be tons of fun!

 

[lanejudy]

I realize many families have no issue pulling a child out of school, especially the early grade. But I respect that family's decision not to do so. It's really no one else's place to try and tell them to do differently. However, they should not expect others to change already-made vacation plans to fit their restrictive schedule.

I suggest a family discussion about future vacation planning. If you always bend to their schedule, you may grow to resent that. I recommend the adults take some time to sit down and discuss options if there is going to be a plan to vacation together every year.

 

[Princesca]

I realize many families have no issue pulling a child out of school, especially the early grade. But I respect that family's decision not to do so. It's really no one else's place to try and tell them to do differently. However, they should not expect others to change already-made vacation plans to fit their restrictive schedule.

I suggest a family discussion about future vacation planning. If you always bend to their schedule, you may grow to resent that. I recommend the adults take some time to sit down and discuss options if there is going to be a plan to vacation together every year.

Yeah, they haven't really pressured us to drop ours. We looked at seeing if it would be a possibility to change ours, but the cost difference for those dates versus our April date is pretty staggering. My wife was arguing we should just bump ours up and go in March when they can go, but the cost is like $1600 more and I told her that didn't make much sense when I'm pricing cruises on RC that we could do at $1000 per person. That's almost half a whole second cruise. And for all I know airfare would cost more as well, so there's added expense there too. If we cruise on RC out of NJ, which is what I'm looking at, we would drive to their house about 8 hours, or actually probably fly (it's a shuttle route, as opposed to flying to FL), which we do at least once a year anyway, then shuttle together 3 more hours to the port together.

 

[Sleepyluke]

I know every family is different, but $1,600 is a lot to make someone else happy. I could see a couple hundred, but for $1,600, I would do what works for you and what you want to do. I am a fan of the Eastern and would do that and if they want to go fine, if not maybe you can plan together for another one. I know people crazy about school and sports, but honestly a week of 1st grade is not going to get you in or get you kicked out of Harvard.

Take your cruise, have a great time and put $1,000 of that toward your next one potentially with them.

 

[Toulou]

Don't forget that 10% discount you'll get for using your placeholder...it's just a thought.

 

[Princesca]

Don't forget that 10% discount you'll get for using your placeholder...it's just a thought.

Yeah, all my estimates include use of the placeholder. It's nice, but unfortunately it's not $1600-$1800 worth of nice